Vampire Dating Agency (2 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

With a mug of coffee each between
them, it was time to get down to business.

“Tell me,
Haley. What is it you see yourself doing here?”

Haley took a
sip from the coffee and set it down on the desk. “I get a say?”

“A say. Yes.”

“What are my
options?”

“That depends
on our caseload. But I’m thinking more broad at the moment. Tell me why you
signed up for the academy.”

“Oh shit,”
Haley murmured. “I knew I should have had answer for that.”

“Just tell the
truth.”

“Cause I
hated ordinary school,” Haley confessed. “I kept getting bullied and I wanted a
way to protect myself. I … wanted to fit in.”

“How did you
find it?”

“At first it
was hell. But … it kept my interest. I’m just fascinated that there’s the whole
other paranormal plane where these entities come from. When I first learned
about it, it one of the most defining moments in my life. Everything was
different after.”

“What would you
say if I put you in the field right away? Starting today. Would you see that as
a challenge? Or would the prospect be too much for you?”

“I don’t want
to be put into a suicide mission,” Haley said. “I mean, I know I did well in my
physical, but I’ve never fought a shifter in real life. I can’t be expected to
–”

“Don’t worry,
this isn’t a brawl simulator you’ve signed up for. Your fighting skills will
only be needed in the gravest of emergencies. What we’re most interested from
you is in your problem solving abilities.”

“Oh. Okay.
That sounds … better.”

“Before I
even open up the database, we got something in this morning you might be
perfect for. It will certainly demonstrate whether or not you’re a long term
asset to invest in.”

“Invest?”

“Yes. Invest.
You do understand that with every case we receive that our reputation is on the
line? We need to know we can trust you before you get to handle tougher, more
important casework.”

“What do you
have for me today then?”

Ms. Armistice
grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

They both
paused to drink their drinks.

“You ever
heard of the VDA?”

“Nope.”

“The VDA is a
borderline criminal operation, completely legalized though currently
underground. It’s run by the very type of individuals who would love to see
this place shut down, so we have no collaboration or correspondence with them.
We know where their headquarters are but we’ve never actually been inside
ourselves. It’s extremely hard to get in. We sent third tier investigator in
there once just to take pictures and get a feel for things. Never heard or saw
from her again. Her cover was obviously broken. We hope that doesn’t happen
twice.”

“Wait,” Haley
said. “You sent someone experienced into this place … and they never came out?
So they were … killed?”

“We don’t
know what happened to her. Perhaps she had her fairy tale.”

“Look, this
doesn’t sound safe at all. I don’t see how –”

“Let me
finish,” Ms. Armistice said. “Our undercover was clearly out of her depth, but
that doesn’t mean you will be. You won’t be doing anything as blatant as taking
photos either.”

“What will I
be doing?”

“VDA stands
for Vampire Dating Agency. Yes, you heard that right. Vampires only have
protection if they have guild verification to prove they’re not dangerous, and
any vampire who is a member of the VDA is entitled to that immediately. Before
they went under, the government cleared their screening processes. They’re
supposed to be legit. Rights for vampires, vampires deserve love, vampires are
people too, a woman should be able to marry a vampire – all that garbage.
They’re just looking for sex and not your
blood
. What a load of shit,
but what are you going to do? That’s the world.”

“Exactly,”
Haley said, showing support.

“Of course,
there’s no telling some women. They just line themselves up for the slaughter
without a care in the world. I mean … we really have no idea what goes on
inside that place. Only, well, someone’s crossed a line.”

“How do you
figure?”

“In the past
three months no less than fifteen women have been found murdered in various
locations all across the state. At first the only thing linking them together
was their dying due to blood loss, implying this could be any old vampire, or a
series of vampires – but the databases eventually came up that all the women
were members of the VDA.”

“Shit.”

“Now the VDA
isn’t stupid enough to let this go with their consent. If the public gets wind
of this, there could be all sorts of support to shut the place down, perhaps
even go back to the days where killing vampires was legal. Our theory is that
while their screening process may be generally effective, one bad apple has
managed to squeeze through, and he’s using the VDA as his cover to killing
women right and left.”

“That’s
horrible.”

Ms. Armistice
nodded. “This is where you come in, Haley.”

“What…? Me?”

“If … you
decide to take this assignment, you’ll be sent into the VDA – don’t worry we
have connections – and your job will be to identify which vampire is
responsible for these killings.”

“Are you
nuts?” Haley balked. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“You’ll be
posing as a stupid, unintelligent fool, who’s got a fetish for vampires and
blood. It’s important they see you as an airhead / bimbo. You can’t be
suspected at all.”

“I doubt
anyone’s is going to find me alluring if I go in there all retarded.”

“Well, you’ll
get a makeover. We’ll turn you into a little goth girl. That’s what they seem
to be into. Judging by the victims…”

Haley stared
at her skeptically.

“Just act
completely oblivious to being in danger. Like you have nothing to hide.”

“And then
what? Wait to be murdered?”

“Obviously
the academy will have taught you how to defend yourself. Which the vampire
won’t be expecting at all.”

“I thought
you said only in emergencies would I –”

“You’ll have
a team on standby. You’ll be wired for sound and vision, so we’ll be able to
see exactly what you’re up against. If we think it’s too dangerous you’ll hear
our voice in your ear, telling you to stand down.”

“Wow,” Haley
laughed. “I knew I’d be getting into some serious stuff, but wowza. I don’t
suppose the other cases are any easier are they?”

“They might
be,” Ms. Armistice replied. “But the question is if they are, would you even
want them?”

CHAPTER FIVE

She had said yes. Yes. Y. E. S. Yes.

It didn’t
feel real for Haley. Not yet. But it sure as shit was going to.

Ms. Armistice
left the room for Haley to finish her coffee, and make some kind of mental
preparation for what she was going to endure. As far as she could tell, she’d
first have to convince whoever was working in the VDA that she was the goods,
the real deal. Easy peaches for the taking. And then she’d be sitting face to
face with a man who would love nothing more than to bite and fuck her at the
same time, and that was the case even if he wasn’t the one she was searching
for. How many? How many of these creatures would she have to lead on before
she’d found the one who wanted to kill her? How long before they all figured
out she had an agenda?

Till they
discovered, who she was working for…?

Ms. Armistice
returned shortly accompanied by a chubby young woman with short dyed blue hair
and serious cleavage. “Haley, this is my assistant Luna Evans. Say hello.”

“Uh, hello,”
Haley said, half standing in her chair.

“Hello
newbie,” Luna said rushing over for a hug. “It’s so great to have you part of
the team!”

Haley mumbled
something, her body frozen stiff.

Luna then let
go and turned back to Ms. Armistice, grinning. “Who have you put her on?”

“We’re
sending her off to the VDA,” Ms. Armistice said. “Let her track down which of
those mongoloids is massacring us.”

“Oh, I want
to go to the VDA,” Luna jokingly complained. “Having all those hot, saucy
vampires drooling over me? Naturally I couldn’t even –”

“Cut it out,”
Ms. Armistice scolded. “Don’t give her any stupid ideas. She’s going to need to
be absolutely ruthless to outsmart them.”

“I don’t know
about that,” Luna went on. “I mean you’re in the middle of smooching them and
then you interrupt and say ‘Can I powder my nose?’ Then when you get to
bathroom, pull back the curtain, see the slaughtered corpse in the shower. And
hey you’ve found your man.”

“Is that
seriously what it’s going to be like?” Haley muttered.

“Don’t listen
to her,” Ms. Armistice said. “Remember we’ll have surveillance on you the whole
time. We should be able to pick up whether or not the vampire is our man based
on your initial interactions. We would hope anyway.”

“And who
knows, you might actually meet the love of your life,” Luna teased.

“Can you be
serious for five minutes, Luna?” Ms. Armistice said angrily. “I just went on a
huge spiel about how she shouldn’t –”

“It’s okay,”
Haley said touching her arm. “I got she was joking.”

Ms. Armistice
glanced at Haley’s hand. “Very well. Anyway, carrying forward … I need you take
Haley down to one of the dressing rooms and get her fixed up. Make her look as
dark and gloomy as possible.”

“Do you want
me to keep the sexy? Or shall we throw it away.”

“I think the
vampires would have a problem with that, don’t you? Make her gloomy but not at
the expense of beauty. I know you haven’t got a whole lot to work with but –”

“Oh, I’m sure
we’ll be fine,” Luna said enthusiastically.

“When you’re
done take her to the conference room on floor five and I’ll introduce her to
the rest of the team. Understand?”

“Crystal
clear, Ms. Armistice,” Luna said cheerily. “Good to go, Haley?”

Haley nodded.
“Let’s do it.”

CHAPTER SIX

The meeting was scheduled for 12 p.m.
Ms. Kendra Armistice had rounded her team up one by one. By the time Jason
Freelaw rocked up it was twenty past, and while he wasn’t the first to arrive
he certainly wasn’t the last.

A bald hulk
of a man known as Dino Hinch was standing by the door brooding about something.
Jason said hi to which Dino gave a light nod without breaking his deadpan.
There were some sandwiches under plastic wrap which Jason assumed was for the
group, and he hadn’t eaten anything today and was hungry. He thought about
taking a sandwich and then turned back to Dino who was looking at him with the
usual
don’t touch the sandwich or I’ll punch your lights out
gaze, so he
instead put his hands in his pockets and walked to the back of the room.

Next in was
Maurice Kent, well presented with his pale brown sweater and cornrow cut. He
had his laptop with him, which he took to the back of the room and began
setting up.

Jason walked
over and said hello.

“You know
what this is about?”

“Probably
more than you,” Maurice replied.

“That’s why
I’m asking,” Jason said. “I just got told it was a twelve-hour deal.”

“Could be
longer.”

“I told her –
I told Kendra I’m taking my leave next week. My parents are coming down – my
girlfriend as well. You met Roxanne, didn’t you –”

“Why are you
telling me this?” Maurice asked, typing incessantly.

“Well just …
heads up if it’s a problem. I’d rather know now so I can prepare instead of –”

“You wanna
know why you don’t know anything, Jason?”

Jason
shrugged. “Why?”

“Cause you’re
focused on what you’re gonna be doing when you’re not here, as opposed to when
you are.”

“Look, I’ve
been here eight months longer than you have –”

“So?”

“So maybe I
have more experience in the field than you. I ain’t never seen you put your
life on the line since your first year. You always get the hide in a van two
blocks away job, while I’m in there risking my life for –”

“Ooh,
sandwiches!”

Jason looked
up and saw his ex-girlfriend Riley McCormick was inside, helping herself to the
food. Jason’s eyes shifted past to where Dino was, staring straight ahead, not
even paying Riley an inch of attention. Jason chuckled to himself and pulled up
a chair beside Maurice.

“Between you
and me,” Jason said, “I think you’re the best friend I’ve got in here.”

“Sucks to be
you.”

“Yeah.
Thanks.”

Riley walked
over to their table, chewing a sandwich in one hand.

“Good
afternoon, Maurice,” she said loosely.

“Good
afternoon.”

Riley’s eyes
slanted in Jason’s direction. “Hello.”

“Hey.”

Riley looked
back to the corridor. “Where’s Kendra?”

“She’ll be
here soon,” Maurice answered.

“Well, that’s
a relief I’m sure.” She looked down at the bread in her hand. “Why am I the
only one who’s eating?”

“Not hungry,”
Jason muttered.

“So I got a
message from Roxanne,” Riley said. “Was really interesting too. You see, she
seems to be under the impression you and I –”

“Sorry to
keep you waiting,” Ms. Armistice announced entering the room. “Are we finished
with these sandwiches?”

“Yep,” Riley
said.

Kendra
signaled to Dino to take them away. Which he did.

Jason’s
stomach growled.

“What the
fuck were you saying about Roxanne?” he questioned Riley.

“Hey,” Kendra
said snapping her fingers. “Playtime is over. I need your attention over here.”

The three of
them looked up at her.

“Can we bring
those desks forward?” Kendra asked. “I don’t want to have to be constantly
shouting at you.”

“Right.”

Jason and
Maurice stood up and then proceeded to shift their table forward.

Riley walked
to the front of the room. “Can I sit here?” she asked.

“That’s
fine,” Kendra agreed. “Okay. Maurice would you be able to set up my computer,
make sure I’m connected to the powerpoint etc.”

Maurice left
Jason’s side to assist Kendra and the front of the room.

Jason leaned
back in his chair, arms folded.

Dino returned
without the plates and peered outside the room a moment, before closing the
door.

“In case
you’re wondering,” Kendra said, “today we are investigating the infamous VDA,
aka Vampire Dating Agency. And no jokes anyone please. I’ve had enough of that
from bleeding Luna. Vampire or not, we have fifteen dead girls and a serial
killer on the loose. So let’s try and keep things mature today, shall we?”

Jason glanced
over at Riley.

She was
smiling at him with a devilish grin.

What?
he mouthed
at her.

Dino cleared
his throat by the door.

Jason hastily
looked away.

“Come on
Maurice, you’re taking forever,” Kendra hissed.

“Nearly
there,” Maurice murmured. “Okay. Done.”

Kendra leaned
over to see the computer was in order. “Thank you, Maurice. Please take your
seat.” She turned to Dino. “You can sit down too if you like.”

“I’m fine
here, Mam,” Dino replied.

“Okay…”
Kendra said rubbing her hands together. “Let’s get started.”